


Eyes Like Broken Christmas Lights

by Itssilverbrich



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: 'oh you gonna hit me? better make it hurt, Amy is the Best, Body Horror, Shadow more like needs a good dad-ow am i right?, Sonic more like need a hug Son-ic amirite?, Sort Of, Uhhh shadow is depresso expresso so yeah watch out, better kill me with one shot', but still, fusion happens, me: allow me to explain with how bad it can go wrong and some hcs, more like theyre, people: how did shadic come to be, suicidal idealism, well sort of, ya know the fusions in su? the ones made by hw? its like that but furries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2020-05-31 00:57:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19415146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itssilverbrich/pseuds/Itssilverbrich
Summary: SA2AU.Sonic and Shadow both survive, and make it back. They come back together. A little too together. But, hey, nothing some good ol' Amy Rose Charm can't fix, right?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, get some sleep after this, some water too. Don't forget to take a shower, pal.  
> Okay, you all good, amigo/a?  
> Okay, Good, Enjoy.

Tails' baby blue eyes frantically scanned the vacuum of space for a speck of gold, hopefully beaming as it voomed in closer and waved.  
His two tails twisted in worry as all he continued to see was black. He felt the others beside him fidget uneasily.  
Knuckles voiced everyone's concerns.  
"What's taking those two so long?!" He complained almost too loudly. "You'd think they'd come back by now."  
Rouge frowned at him before she raised her wrist to her mouth, the device on her wrist emmiting static.  
"Shadow? Come in, Shadow. Shadow, can you read me?" No one answered and Rouge's brow furrowed in concern.  
They all stared out the window once more.

The door slid open. Tails and Rouge turned in unison, hope in their eyes.  
"Shadow?"  
"Sonic!"

That wasn't Shadow or Sonic. They didn't know who that was. He looked incredibly unstable, panting as he wrapped tan arms around himself. His eyes darted around the room, flashing green, red, and purple.  
Everyone took a step back, Knuckles stepping in front of Amy and Tails, snarling at the stranger.

Rouge eyed him uneasily. She spoke into her device once more.  
"Shadow, we need you here, we got a potential threat in the area-"  
Rouge stopped.  
Her voice was coming from a similar watch on the strange hedgehog's wrist. He looked down on it, his eyes staying a passionate, familiar red before continuing on its flashing pattern. Rouge’s face twisted into a frown, concern evident on her face. Tails darted past Knuckles and Amy, standing besides the bat with an equally worried expression.  
The hedgehog’s dilating eyes focused in on the two tailed kit, eyes turning a calming and trusting emerald green. He took a shuddering step towards him.  
“Tai-” The hedgehog started before recoiling back. The voice had sounded wrong, two voices blending to make some sort of sound. At first, it had sounded like Sonic, the voice calling out to Tails almost pleadingly, but another voice joined the din, unwilling to ask for help of any sort.  
“Sonic?” The fox asked with a tilt of his head. Concerned blue met confused green.  
“Yes.” The hedgehog -Sonic- replied, voice familer. “And no.”  
Rouge blinked, regonizing the other tone that had followed.  
“Shadow, are you in there too?” Rouge found green quickly fading to red with an almost insane grin of relief.  
“Yes! I’m in here with me!” Shadow seemed to call out, Sonic joining in the last second. “We’re stuck.”  
Shadow- Sonic- whoever now looked torn, stuck between grabbing Tails for a hug or noggie, or running away as fast as he could.  
Rouge faltered, she didn’t know what to do. This was something entirely new. She didn’t know how to help, how to get to the bottom of this. Tails didn’t either, stepping them nervously. They almost frantically stepped backwards, nearly tripping over themselves as thier eyes widened and their breathing grew panicked. Tails stepped back, clearly the...fusion was in shock or wary for perhaps the reason they were stuck as one.  
This had to be done with tact and consideration.  
“What in Gaia’s name happened to you two?!” Knuckles demanded, clearly concerned as he joined the party. Rouge growled under her breath, Tails mentally facepalming. Knuckles clearly hadn’t thought this through.  
The fusion looked like all of it wanted to run, eyes darting between the three and the door. They were probably trying to figure out where exactly to hide.  
“We- I- he- falling - space, gonna-gonna, fall, die, Shadow- idiot, idiot,idiot!” Their voices clashed, clamboring over each other in one mouth, words lost to what could only be described as static or gibberish. Claws poked out of torn gloves and into their sides as they tightened the grip around themselves. It almost seemed like they were arguing with each other inside their combined head. “HE WAS GOING TO, SHOULD OF LET ME, STUPID, IDIOT, MORON, DUMBA-”  
Their maniac rant was stopped by a flash of pink, darting past Knuckles, past Rouge and Tails, Amy Rose coming to the rescue. She stopped shy of two steps away from the fusion.  
The combined duo jolted, taking a few frantic steps back, trying to put distance between themself and the bubblegum pink girl.  
Amy was not deterired by this, grassy green eyes burning with determation and eagerness to help. She stayed where she was, hands up where they could see. She slowly, painfully closed the distance between them. Taking two steps for Shadow and Sonic’s one.  
She just as slowly lowered her hands, ignoring the flinch she gained when she removed their hands from their side.  
“Hey.” Her voice came softly, still commanding despite the gentleness. “Hey.”  
The multicolored eyes finally met hers, searching light green for……. Something.  
“Start from the beginning. Go as slow or as fast as you two need to.”  
The hedgehogs squared nodded, hands shaking in hers. They took a deep breath.  
"I was...We were…." They stopped, confusion and frustration crossing their face yet again.  
"Take your time." Amy reminded him patiently. They hesitated for a minute before speaking again, slower this time.  
"I was in space with me, ya know, and I started falling and I reached to catch me but I couldn't reach me and I was gonna fall and I grabbed me but I should of just let me fall and if i fell, it would have been my fault and I couldn't let me die and-" The duo seemed almost desperate to convey something, to themselves or Amy, no one knew. They put their head in their hands. "-but I had fulfilled my purpose but that's not what life is about and-"  
Amy took his hands away from his face, shushing him gently.  
"Do you know how you two got together?"  
They shook their head, avoiding eye contact as they blinked away tears.  
"No. There was a bright light and then we were...like this."  
"Well…" she frowned sympatheticly before smiling with encouragement. "We'll find a way to fix this, okay, Shadic?"  
"Shadic?" The hedgehog asked, confused. Amy nodded eagerly.  
"It's your names combined! Do you like it?" She asked the last question hopefully.  
They puzzled over the name before they smiled, like the sun coming out after a storm.  
"It'll be perfect." The newly dubbed Shadic answered. Amy smiled back at them, turning to the others with her usual determined fire.  
"Well? Are you all coming or not?" Amy demanded, nodding towards the door.  
Rouge just smiled, fluttering after the three- two- hedgehogs. Tails frowned anxiously, Knuckles patting him on the shoulder as they followed close behind. Eggman stayed behind.  
He was still trying to connect the idol of his youth to the monster of the present. That would take time.  
All of this would take time.


	2. Hot Milk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic was Tails' big brother before he was a part of Shadic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, wassup, it's ya boi Silver. Hope you're doing good. Leave a comment, please.

Shadic didn’t like nighttime. It was dark, the blackness seeming to press down on them, surrounding them at all sides. Shadic couldn’t remember either of them being afraid of the dark, but everytime they closed their eyes, he was falling and he wasn’t going to catch him in time and-  
Yeah, Shadic didn’t like the nighttime.  
Shadic sat up from the bed, blue quills sticking around haphazardly. They yawned as they stretched, a sudden noise in a quiet night. Shadic didn’t bother on slipping on his gloves or his shoes, he was too tired to go for a walk and they didn’t think anyone else was up. Hopefully.  
Shadic stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing bleary eyes as green and red scanned the room for others before allowing themselves to relax.   
He hummed lightly as he opened the fridge, pulling out a Chaos Cola. It was one of the few beverages his mind could agree on, the buzz from the caffeine and sugar a pleasant distraction.  
He leaned on the counter, gulping down half of it in one drink. They tried to rein in their dashing thoughts, both trains headed in two greatly different directions. Shadic sighed, admitting defeat to the battle of sleep. He’d just nap later in the day.   
Shadic’s ears perked up, hearing rustling from the other room. He stiffened for a moment before he spotted pale orange.

Tails sighed as he left his garage, his dark starry pajamas camouflaging his warm colored body into the night. His two tails trailed after him and making swishing noises as he dragged them against the cold, wooden floor. His claws clicked against the floor as he stepped into the kitchen.  
Tails didn’t notice the dark blue hedgehog at first, sitting down before his baby blue eyes finally adjusted to see the stock still form of the fusion of his brother and their new ally. They stared at each other before Tails broke the silence.  
“Hey.” Tails said, tapping his fingers against the table.   
“Hey.” Shadic responded. He held their soda in between their hands, the beverage giving off a chill. “Couldn’t sleep?”  
“Yeah,” Tails nodded sheepishly. “You?”  
Shadic just nodded, finally taking another drink of their soda.   
“How come?” Tails questioned before Shadic froze and looked away. Oh. Sonic used to have tons of nightmares. Tails would be surprised if Shadow didn’t have nightmares. Tails wasn’t certain how it worked but he did know that it was likely Shadic had nightmares as well. “Do you...wanna talk about it?”  
“.......” Shadic was quiet for a minute, their eyes doing that flashy thing they did when they were at an indecision. “No.”  
Tails just hummed in response. He hadn’t really expected a yes.   
“....Do you want me to heat you up some milk?” Tails’ head shot up at the statement. Shadic was now looking at him again, their eyes mainly sticking to green as they smiled awkwardly.  
“You..would do that for me?” Tails questioned. It was one of Sonic’s habits, if he couldn’t sleep, his big brother would heat some milk up for him.   
Shadic didn’t do a lot of Sonic’s Big Bro Habits. Shadic probably wanted to, at least part of them, but they were a bit busy trying to sort themselves out.   
Shadic nodded, smile a bit less embarrassed. Tails couldn’t help but smile back.  
“I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you enjoyed this, it was short but it took me all day, lol. Ily. Remember to comment, its my only source of nourishment.


	3. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadic is still figuring out what they are. That includes celebrations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I have a plan for this fic? IDK ask me at 3 am.   
> Anyway, thank you for reading this and please leave kudos and a comment! It fuels me.

“Ya know,” started the red echidna, interrupting their meditation. “You technically have two birthdays.”  
Shadic took a moment to consider if they should respond, considering how important quiet during this time was for Knuckles, but decided since Knuckles himself broke it, it’d be fine.  
“Really? How so?” the hedgehog times two questioned, turning multicolored eyes to the other. Knuckles leaned back, taking a more relaxed position on the grass beneath them.   
“Well, I mean, you’re kinda two people. So that’s two birthdays.”  
“............” Shadic thought for a minute, frowning. “..........Actually, that’s not true. I- Shadow- wasn’t born. He was created.”  
Knuckles huffed, as if annoyed with the other's argument.  
“Well, he had to come from somewhere, so Creation Day, whatever.” Knuckles didn’t seem to notice the flinch at the term. “Actually, maybe three. Ya know, since you’re not really Sonic or Shadow.”  
That seemed to concern Shadic, the hedgehog squared glancing nervously at the other.   
“...Really?”   
“Well, yeah! You’re Shadic, you have your own likes and dislikes, your own sense of the world. You’re both someone entirely new.”   
“Oh……….. I see.”

“Tails?”  
The young fox kit lifted his head at the sound of his name, turning curiously towards the other.   
“Oh, Shadic! How’s it going?”  
“We’re... fine,” Shadic said slowly, almost unsure of their words. “We have a question, if it’s not an issue.”  
“Huh? Oh, sure! What is it?” Tails questioned, putting down the wrench he had just been using. Shadic looked embarrassed, as if the question was completely childish.  
“Knuckles and us were talking and he said we technically have three birthdays,” Shadic murmured out. “We wanted your input.”  
Tails hummed, leaning back. His small, fluffy face scrunched up as he thought.  
“Weeell…..” Tails drawled, pushing his current project away to rest his elbows on his desk. “It really depends if we count Shadic- you- as your own individual person or not.”  
Shadic frowned, twisting a ring on their wrist. They.. they didn’t know whether they wanted to count as such. They mean, they are made of two people but they’re not Sonic or Shadow. This Shadic thing was nice, like a built-in buddy system. They didn’t feel alone. But having a birthday for this thing would be…. It felt too permanent. But Shadic didn’t feel like dumping all this on his - Sonic’s - eight year old brother.  
“....We don’t know.” Shadic murmured, crossing their arms and looking away.   
“Well, there’s no need to decide, not now at least.” Tails reassured, namesakes twitching behind. “Hate to say it but I’ve not made any more headway on how to separate you two. My research shows that Chaos Energy could be the cause but it’s too, well, chaotic to really tell.”  
Shadic frowned but nodded. They understood the kit was doing the best he could. Shadic startled at soft fur rubbing against their leg and glanced down, spying a clearly upset Tails. Shadic set their mouth to a thin line, guilt swelling in their chest.  
“.......Tails?”  
“Hm?”  
“Do you- we mean, we know that you and Sonic were practically brothers and we know we haven’t been the most brotherly? Would you prefer if we were more...Sonicily?”  
Whoa, whoa, what were they saying? They… they didn’t want to do that! It wasn’t that they didn’t care for Tails, just that…..  
“MARIA!”  
….That now wasn’t a good time in his life to try to brother anyone really. They just…  
It didn’t feel right that he had taken someone from the kid’s life, even though he didn’t actually do that.   
But he did! No, he didn’t. He made his choice and he was just as stuck as he was. But-!  
“What? Shadic, you’re not Sonic!” the fox pulled them out of their head with his little almost exasperated tone of voice. “Look, I know Sonic and with what little I know of Shadow and the things I know about you, I can tell you’re internalizing!”  
Shadic frowned at how easily they were being read. It was weird to feel so vulnerable in front of someone at least seven years younger than you.  
“Listen, I miss my brother, that's part of why I’m working so hard,” Tails spoke like he was speaking to his little brother. “But I understand you’re not him. Maybe one day if you’re comfortable and still Shadic, you can be my brother too but you’ve been through a lot lately and in general. You need some time to be you before you’re anyone’s anything.”  
Shadic hummed and nodded. A small part of them felt proud of Tails’ words.   
“We understand. But we’re still going to try to get over this!” Shadic admitted, determined. They didn’t give up a challenge so easily!  
Tails snorted, shaking his head.  
“Of course you are. I look forward to it.”

Shadic stirred the cookie dough mechanically, flour comedically covering their apron and the tip of their nose. They glanced over at Amy, who was halfway in her cabinet looking for sprinkles for the cookies.  
“Rosebud?” they said quietly. She let out a cry of triumph and then pain as she found the sprinkles and then bumped her head on the top of the cabinet.   
“Ow- Yeah, Shadic?” her voice echoed as she crawled out.   
“Um, are you alright?” Shadic questioned, not sure to be concerned or not. Amy waved their words away with her free hand, pulling out with dusty, pastel pink quills.   
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine! Now, what’s up?”   
“Uh, what would your reaction be if we had three birthdays?”  
Amy rose to her feet, taking the bowl from them and scooping the dough onto a pan.   
“Plan out another cake and party.” her tone was casual, as if the question had already been answered a long time ago.  
“Oh. Wait,” Shadic did a double take. “Did you say another?”   
“Oh, yeah.” the pink hedgehog brushed quills out of her face, she was growing it out, as she placed the pan in the pre heated oven. “I’ve already planned out Sonic and Shadow’s, the only problem is I don’t know when Shadow was born, or, rather, made.”  
Amy looked at them expectantly. Shadic blinked, dumbfounded.  
“Uh ...June 19.” they forced out. Amy smiled brightly and brushed the dust off herself.  
“Alright! Now, what flavor of cake do you want?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, before you go! Have some fruit, it's good for you! Nature's candy and all of that jazz. ;)


	4. Two Way Street

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadic's first encounter with Eggman! Not really pleasant. It's set in the past so the two are way better now, promise!
> 
> maybe.
> 
> Warning for screaming at your long time nemesis to destroy you in increasingly angry and almost desperate tones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, if you're thinking like either of these numbskulls, feel free to seek help! a trusted guardian or parent or even a reliable friend can help but the person who can help you is yourself so don't just dump all your problems on them. talk with them about seeing a profession, about getting the help and treatment you need and deserve.
> 
> or maybe just make sure you've eaten, are hydrated or slept. those can seriously effect your attitude.
> 
> anywho, leave a comment or/and kudos if you enjoy for more content!

Shadow was a closed off mind, quiet and mysterious. Sonic was an open mind, a book full of pages and pages.  
Shadow found that Sonic’s mind was rather interesting, the other hedgehog’s highs being clearly high and the lows devastatingly low. It was almost saddening how high of a pedestal Sonic placed himself on when he was just one little hedgehog.  
Well. Not anymore he supposed, their two minds tangled like a ball of yarn. They spent many nights ignoring sleep by unraveling their thoughts and soon the difference was more distinguishable. Shadow instantly raised mental walls, refusing to let Sonic know what he was thinking unless it was necessary. Sonic however was a flood of ideas, cascading into their shared head, not even hesitating to at least try and act on these thoughts. Shadow always retained him, not wanting to look weak.   
It was a little disappointing when he stopped trying to initiate physical contact with his friends.

It felt a little weird to know Sonic’s mind was right there, open to be cracked like an egg. Shadow had spent most of his life playing mental chess except with………  
No, no, no more showing weakness, not in front of Faker. He had shown enough already and the hedgehog’s pity flooding him constantly was sickening.  
And then there were the blue one’s responsibilities. Leave it to the Doctor to force Shadic to leave bed. 

Shadic didn’t understand how the Doctor Egghead had recovered so quickly from the ARK Incident. If anything, he should be as recluent to fight as Shadic was!   
At least most of the mad scientist’s forces were easily crushed, crushed like a soda can.  
“Shadic!” the kitsune called out to the one person duo. “We need to get to Station Square! That’s where Eggman and his giant machine is!”   
Shadic frowned but nodded, metal crumpling under their foot. With a speed boost, they were carving through the layers of badniks like a knife through hot butter.  
They slowed for a minute, needing to recharge again before bursting.   
Shadic froze at the sound of a person. They wheeled around to spy a family of sheep on top of an overturned minivan in a sea (sea, sea, sea, sea, SEA-) of badniks. They move to help them but hesitate.   
Why aren’t they helping?! Can’t they see those people are in trouble?! Yes, but wouldn’t it be easier to just eliminate the source?   
One of the children slips on their isle and nearly falls into the rising waters (water, water, water, WATER) of machines, bleating in panic. Their mother cries out and grabs them, pulling them back into her grasp.  
There’s no time! They have to get those people out before they’re seriously hurt, but the Doctor would probably get further away, but these people are in trouble NOW, but the best way to help was, NO, HE COULDN’T JUST STAND TO THE SIDE, THEY’LL DIE, HE’LL FAIL AGAIN, NOT AGAIN, NO.  
7The sheer panic in their mind shocked them into action, a well aimed kick sending the motobugs flying.   
“It’s safe, come on down,” Shadic assured, smiling comfortingly. The family inched down the overturned car, the two hogs for the price of one helping every step of the way.  
“Thank you.” the mother said gratefully, pressing a hoof to their shoulder before leaving for shelter with her family. Shadic allowed themself to bask in that feeling of success before kicking themself into gear, boosting long recharged.

Eggman seemed to be surprised when Shadic burst on the scene.   
“Sonic?” he questioned, raising a hairy eyebrow up his bald skull.   
“No and yes. Shadic for now.” the fusion responded in clipped replies. After what happened earlier, they had put a tighter grip on their emotions. Eggman just stared at them for a second.  
“Oh.” Eggman shrugged. “Still gonna kill you.”  
The Dragoon Robot burst to life, drills whirling and lasers firing. Shadic sighed.   
They just wanted to sleep…...  
A drill dived down, Shadic barely able to move in time to avoid his ear getting sliced clean off. A spear of pure, rippling, purple chaos energy appeared in the hedgehog(s)’ open palm before it slammed shut, Shadic grabbing the drill’s wire and slashing down on the drill, the repurposed tool cut clean in half.  
They didn’t waste a second to leap up onto the drill’s arm, another spear bursting to life in their hand. Shadic raced up the wired arm, weaving past lasers and other drills, all in a mad scramble to quickly reach the cockpit.  
They weren’t fast enough to avoid the metallic claw, that immediately pinned them up against a skyscraper. They hissed, already feeling bruises form under their fur.  
“OHOHOHO!” Eggman howled. “I have you now! I’ll eliminate with you and finally-”  
“For Chaos’ sake, will you just kill us already?”  
“Wha- “ Eggman faltered, arms falling from their dramatic posture. “What?”  
Shadic stares at the oversized man with an angry and tired expression. If this was Sonic, it would be said with a teasing lit in his voice in an attempt of angering the man and getting more time, but this is not Sonic and so the words carry the burden of a boy with a mountain of regrets.  
Their eyes beam red as they dangle from the tyrantic man’s grasp and somehow it feels like Eggman is trapped with them and not the opposite.  
“You heard me,” Shadic growls out. “You go on and on about how you’re gonna destroy us but you never do. You threaten and demand but you can never pull the trigger, can you?”   
Eggman goes to respond but is stopped by Shadic, a cascade that once started seemed to overflow.   
“And why? You’ve never hesitated before, not in that shabby little hole you called a lab and not now in your flying fortresses. You’ve never been afraid to bloody your hands so what’s one more life? What’s two? Think about it, you can eliminate the problem before it begins if you just kill us.”  
Shadic wasn’t even sure of half of what they were saying. It sounded right but they weren’t around for that…..  
At least, half of them weren't.  
“So what are you waiting for? Why are you hesitating, hm? You don’t care about us, you don’t care about anyone!” Shadic could feel themselves crying but their thoughts were pounding in their head like hammers, they couldn’t focus. “Why don’t you just do something right for once and KILL ME?!”  
Silence ruled the square, only Shadic’s shaky breaths heard.  
The claw pulled itself free, Shadic automatically catching themself as they fell.  
“Okay, WOW,” Eggman said, rubbing his eyes. “Clearly you still are reacting to these last few adventures. I’ll give you some time to rest because, Light Gaia, do you need it. I’ll be back with a really evil plot, until then, GET SOME HEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS, sheesh.”  
The robot rolled away, Shadic too shell shocked to do anything. Their face was still wet.   
They heard the sounds of fur cutting through air and stood up, not facing Tails.   
“Shadic? What happened?” the eight year old asked.  
“We’re going for a walk.” Shadic said quietly. “We’ll give you a full update when we get back.”  
“Shadic, wai-” they didn’t stick around to hear the rest of Tails’ sentence, already gone.

Shadic ran into a tree, gasping as the full force of what they said to Eggman hit them. 

Shadow’s thoughts darted around but somehow it still felt emptier than usual.  
‘Faker, I-’ the thought ended as they hit a wall. Shadow buzzed with displeasure and confusion. What had happened? Why couldn’t he feel Sonic?  
He pressed a tentative thought to their mind, feeling it bump off a….. wall? Sonic knew how to do that?   
Well, he supposed the quiet was appreciated.

It wasn’t appreciated, not at all, it was too quiet and too loud and, wow, Shadow forgot how his mind could spiral sometimes.  
He had no idea the blue hog had been keeping him so grounded throughout all of this.   
Shadow pressed against the wall again, the resistance being an almost midnight blue feeling.  
What had gotten into the other? Why had he closed up? Was it what just happened? Oooooh, why didn’t he take advantage of Sonic’s open mind and at least look for common weakness of Sonic’s foes?  
He couldn’t reach the other, not like this. If he wanted to get to the bottom of this, he had to...he had to… he had to lower his guard.  
Shadow shuddered, only once, before slowly loosening his defenses, his thoughts cascading out into the space.  
Shadow pressed against Sonic’s wall, testing its strength.  
Whoa. This was gonna be harder than he thought.  
‘Faker?’ the thought echoed. ‘Sonic? Listen, I… I’m sorry about forcing you to say all that stuff.’  
Nothing.   
‘Sonic, look, I- Ugh, I can’t do this without you. This is a two man operation. I’ll promise to be a better headmate or whatever, just tell me what’s going on.’  
The border shuddered, as if Sonic was considering it.  
‘I just, I just want to help.’  
The wall didn’t move and Shadow feared he’d sent the wrong message before-  
The wall slammed down and a cascade of melancholy blue washed over concerned red.  
Sonic’s thoughts echoed memories of failure after failure; a white glove missing the falling hand of a terrified man, screams silenced by water’s cold embrace, a hedgehog that looked like a star but was determined to plummet like a comet.  
Now, Shadow was clearly in the ‘Doesn’t deserve forgiveness and should have been left for dead’ camp so it kinda stung how Sonic considered this thought process was his fault or responsibility. Oh no, this mess was all Shadow. Stupid ‘hog and his stupid thing for saving people.  
‘You can’t save everyone.’  
‘I should at least try.’  
Oh, there’s the issue. And honestly, it was a little annoying how familiar it was.  
‘You did. You did your best and next time-’  
‘Next time, what, you’ll burn up in the atmosphere, completely convinced there’s nothing worth living for and that you don’t deserve forgiveness for manipulation?’  
‘Um. No.’ Shadow winced. Sonic and his big heart, darn it. ‘Next time, you’ll have me and knowledge from past experiences to help you.’  
‘..................’ Sonic was quiet before softly saying, ‘Really?’  
Shadow tried not to get sucked into a memory of the past. He may be opening up but he wasn’t ready for that part just yet.  
‘Yeah. But don’t make me regret it, Faker.’  
‘Heh...I won’t.’

‘.....wanna get some chili dogs?’  
‘Hmmm, I’d prefer burgers.’  
‘Oh, what about Sloppy Joes?’  
‘What are those?’  
‘Oooooh, boy, you’re gonna love this….’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good night, i stayed up too late for this aaaaaaaugh  
> leave a comment or/and kudos if you enjoy


	5. Calling All The Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some questions get answered, some horrors are seen, and some hedgehogs suffer. 
> 
> I took the chance to write some characters I usually don't; Rouge and Tails! I'm not used to writing from their perspectives so it was fun!   
> Oh, also, there's some slightly disturbing descriptions. They're not too bad because I'm no good at horror or character descriptions but if it comes across the way I hope, they will be kinda gross at the very least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry for not updating in awhile, was dabbling in writing for some different fandoms and all.   
> Anyway! Listen, I don't know where you are so I can't speak for your state and/or country's steps to deal Covid, but if businesses and the like are opening up around you, PLEASE, I beg of you, don't run in.  
> Covid is still a problem and just because some dude sitting in an office somewhere in New York decides he wants to make money again and orders the stores to reopen, doesn't mean it's safe.   
> Please be safe.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and/or kudos! I got a haircut recently! Love you!

“OHOHO!” Eggman let out a triumphant laugh, leaning forward with a sinister grin. “Welcome, Shadic! How was your trip?”   
“Just peachy, we loved every minute of it,” Shadic deadpanned, testing their bonds on the metal platform they were cuffed to. “It’s been awhile. What have you been up to?”   
“Oh, I’m going to show you, hedgehog...s.” Eggman paused for a minute, resting on the console. “Before we continue all of this, I assume you two are in better...fighting condition?”

Shadic hated how a part of them appreciated the mild concern the doctor expressed and shoved those feelings away for a later date.   
“Just get on with it, Egghead,” Shadic retorted. “We promised to help Bud in a skating competition.”   
“Good, good, you’re up to spunk! You’re going to have to be ready for what I have cooked up for you!” Eggman clapped his hands joyfully before rubbing them together evilly.    
Shadic frowned, unimpressed but still cautious. The table shook before it moved forward, following the mad doctor.    
“So, during our little time out, I decided to investigate how you two got in your sticky position,” Eggman said, starting his Dramatic Monologue. He pulled out a remote from his pocket, the metal windows rolling. “And I found, not only the answer, but a way to replicate it!”   
Shadic went to retort when-   
_ Oh. _   
Inside the cell, there was a cat. Or at least, what used to be a cat.    
It was, it had too many legs, some in places where it shouldn’t be and it was screaming, hands tightening against its skull.    
Shadic stared at it with horror. Everytime he thought Eggman had reached his top awful, the mad scientist pushed it further.   
“Now, this is only one of my prototypes, to prove my theory,” Eggman said, as if he was showing off a model airplane and not two living,  **suffering** beings trapped in each other for as long as Eggman pleased. “I suspected that Shadic was made out of an imbalance of Chaos Energy and a shared desire for someone’s survival.”   
“That can’t be true, he, I, we-” he stopped, unwilling to admit the depths his mind had sunk during that time.    
“True, yes, Shadow, you did believe yourself a mistake and believe your whole meaning for living accomplished but everyone has a survival instinct, even you,” Eggman spoke directly to the more dark furred half of Shadic. “And Sonic, you are always trying to help others. Add the fact Shadow was drained of almost all energy and a super form gives Sonic’s natural high levels a boast and KABOOM! Shadic made.”   
They walked past the screaming feline, down a hall that now echoed with similar screams more… unhuman than the last.    
“I thought if I forced two powerful yet unbalanced chaos energy filled mobians to a death situation of my own design, I could perhaps replicate your fusion,” Eggman sighed mournfully. “But, alas, it appears you two have a caponant my test subjects don’t; the ability to harness the Chaos Emeralds, past civilizations referred to this as a ‘Chaos Blessing’. Hmph!”   
Eggman stopped at the end, turning himself and Shadic around, facing the hallway. All but one window was closed but the screams gave Shadic a guess of what was in each cell. They couldn’t breath. Was this their fault? They didn’t mean to- to-!   
“However! I managed to at least replicate such a Blessing long enough to force two AND MORE powerful mobians together!” Eggman declared triumphantly, brandishing his remote like a conductor’s baton, pressing one of the many buttons.   
All the windows rolled up and Shadic let out a strangled gasp.    
The hall was filled with fusions, some of ten, some of two, and some they just couldn’t tell. It was a bone chilling sight, people of all species and ages crying out as one in agony, barely able to hold their combined bodies up.    
“Ehehe, as you can see, it is far from being perfected but I suspect I am close!” Eggman said bashfully, like an eight year old showing off his first potato battery.    
This wasn’t, no, this wasn’t right, this wasn’t like Shadic at all, this wasn’t fusion, no, no, no, this was absolutely wrong,  **_this was so wrong._ **   
The wall behind them opened and they stepped in.   
“But I know this for a fact,” Eggman said, stepping up to this huge laser gun, pointed right at a now struggling Shadic. “Shadic is more of a problem at the moment than Shadow and Sonic is. At least, how you will be if my newest theory is correct.”   
The Wrist Miles Electric flared to staticed life, Tails’ worried voice crackling as he and Rouge broke in.    
Shadic gave a vicious grin before straining, finally pulling one arm free. They reached over, ears picking out the sound of footsteps under screams and the powering up of a possibly deadly laser. They reached over, prying free their other arm and reaching down to release their legs.   
Eggman panicked, quickly attacking a small group of badniks to distract the would be rescuers and halt his target’s escape.   
Shadic barely dodged a sharp swipe by a Buzz Bomber’s edged stinger, wincing as they struggled to pull free their leg from the last bond in place.    
“Shadic!” Tails’ voice rang out, the fox looking concerned, probably for good reason, considering what he just ran past. “Where are you?!”   
They wretched their leg free, hissing before leaping off the operating table.    
“Over here!” they called, running to escape the blast and join up with their friends. They had to get out of here, figure out how to help these people, meet up with Amy, so excuse them, they’re a busy hog-   
The blast finally hits and everything goes black.   
  
It felt like they were being torn apart. Like someone was taking some pliers and  _ ripped open  _ their rib cage.    
And then the feeling was gone.   
  
Sonic awoke with the feeling of something heavy in his chest and suddenly aware he was himself.    
Shadow woke up with a bone deep ache and suddenly aware he was himself.    
They slowly stood, Eggman’s triumphant laughter pettering into awkward silence background noise to their pounding heads.    
“-ic? Sonic? Sonic!” the blue hedgehog startled at his younger brother’s calls, blinking.    
“Uh… yeah, Tails?” Sonic questioned. Oh no, the Pay Attention To Your Surroundings, Idiot Face. He had a feeling Shadow would be scoffing if they were Shadic… why was he thinking about that? “...I missed something, didn’t I?”    
“Well….” Tails’ face softened. “I guess you did get defused by an unknown source. Makes sense you’d be a little out of it.”   
“The doctor’s sealed us in,” Shadow said, Sonic jolting at the sound. “There’s two paths ahead. Rouge and Ta- the kit suggested…..”   
Shadow hesitated. Why was he so reculent? Wasn’t he supposed to be happy? Sonic tilted his head, confused.   
“...we split up.” Shadow glanced almost nervously. “We’ll get out of here faster if we do so.”   
“....Okay. Sounds good to me, I guess.” Sonic huffed. He was himself again, why did he feel…. Sad?   
“I’ll take Dark And Brooding here,” Rouge draped herself over the stoic hedgehog’s form, bursting their tense bubble. “First one out wins, alright?”   
Tails didn’t need to be told twice, Sonic quickly tugged towards one of the hallways open in the large, circular room. He glanced behind himself to see Shadow doing the same before the metal halls swallowed them up whole.   
  
“Well, it must be nice to have your own body again, huh?” Tails questioned, the footsteps of the pair of the brothers echoing. “Sonic?”   
Tails turned to see Sonic staring back the way they came. He seemed… more out of it than usual.    
“Sonic?”   
Sonic finally reacted, turning back to Tails. Honestly, he didn’t.. look so good. His quills seemed darker and he had dark circles under his eyes and generally looked like he was getting sick.   
Sonic blinked, shielding his eyes. Tails raised an eyebrow at this action, considering how dark it was.   
“Sonic, why are you looking at me like that?” the fox said, Sonic flinching at his voice, covering his ears. “Sonic?!”   
“I… Tails, it’s, it’s so bright, so loud, I, everything hurts, why does everything..?!” the blue blur whimpered as he fell to the ground, curling up in a miserable ball. Tails is by his side in an instant, looking for some sort of injury. He placed a hand on his older brother, only to hiss and pull away, Sonic strangely hot.   
“What in the…?”    
“Tails?! Tails?! Come in, Tails!” Rouge’s voice came out from the Wrist Miles Electric. “Something’s wrong with Shadow; he collapsed on me! It’s like he ran out of energy!”   
_ Ran out of energy…. _   
Eggman had said to Shadic that their fusion was a combo of desire to live and unbalanced energy. Additionally, Eggman said they’d be less a problem separate, which seemed untruthful as it was easier to hit one target instead of two.    
Unless…..   
Unless… Eggman purposely made it so they’d unfuse incorrectly, so that their Chaos Energy was not only unbalanced but given to the wrong people!    
Shadow normally had levels that required equipment, his rings, to deal with. Sonic, while high, would not be able to safely handle that much, rings or otherwise, let alone his own plus that amount. Shadow’s body clearly required that amount despite how having that much was equally detrimental to him. If Sonic has all the energy, then Shadow must have barely enough. The poor guy was probably minutes away from slipping into a life threatening coma.   
“Bring him over! Sonic has a similar problem and I think I know the cause!” Tails responded at last to Rouge, bringing the wrist communication device to his mouth.    
“Their fusion?” she asked. Tails nodded, despite knowing she couldn’t see.    
“Yes but I think the cause was the unnatural unfusion, not the fusion itself.” Tails theorized out loud. He could hear her approaching now, her boots clicking loudly in the metalic hall.    
He spotted her not before long, waving her over from his spot on the floor.   
Rouge gasped when she saw the cowering Sonic.   
“Oh wow…. I didn’t think Sonic could  _ feel  _ pain,” Rouge remarked. “I mean, I only knew from the papers and all before the ARK thing.”   
She adjusted Shadow in her arms, the unconscious teen out like a rock. She eyed him anxiously.    
“Put him down here,” Tails motioned to the space across from Sonic, right next to the seated fox. “That way I can watch them both.”   
She eased the comatose hedgehog next to the crumpled blue mess of a hedgehog.    
Tails frowned, watching them.    
“What’s wrong with them?” Rouge asked, seeing the younger fox pull out a strange device and fiddle with it. After a few minutes of prodding, the tablet seemed to shake and beep at an insane level.   
“Aha! Oh, sorry, Rouge, I needed to test something,” Tails said, motioning to the device. “When I first built this, I had to write some code to make sure it wouldn’t go off whenever Sonic was around. We kept going off on wild goose chases for Chaos Emeralds that were actually Sonic. Luckily, it also worked for Shadic so I didn’t have to adjust it.”    
He waved the machine towards the two hogs.   
“It’s now reacting like Sonic’s two emeralds and Shadow isn’t even a sign of life on the scanner, that’s how imbalanced they are. I’m not sure exactly how to help them, but considering what I heard from Eggman, an actual Chaos Emerald may help. Think you can find one?” Tails offered the device to her.   
Rouge’s gloved hand wrapped around the handles built for smaller hands. She hesitated as she backed up.   
“You sure you’ll be fine alone with them?” Rouge questioned, trying not to show her concern too much. Tails looked down the empty hallway, the end out of sight.   
“If anything’s gonna attack me, I’ll probably hear it before I see it. Don’t worry. We’ll be fine until you get back. There should be one in the base.” Tails said.   
Rouge nodded, looking at the scanner. Three Chaos Emeralds were on the small, grainy screen, two bunched together and one a fair distance away. 

  
She assumed the two were Sonic considering the proximity and flew out of the tunnel towards the real one.   
“Alright, where are you, my little bedazzled beauty?” she murmured to herself, leathery wings flapping behind her. She was kind of hoping she could keep this one this time, at least for a little bit.    
She stepped out of the tunnel, eyes on the device, watching its beeps and vibrations as she passed the machine that split the two ‘hogs.    
It, surprisingly, didn’t lead to the machine. She raised an eyebrow at that. Rouge was shocked. Had Eggman used another power source? No, he would have bragged about it. He probably removed it and hid it somewhere in the resulting confusion when the two split apart.    
She turned her attention back to the tracker, following until she came to the sealed wall that she and Tails came from. 

The tracker pointed forwards so Rouge went to work looking for a weak spot. It was metal, she wasn’t sure what exactly and not in the mood to find out, but Eggman wasn’t the best at making things even. He always stretched his seals out too thin.    
Her gloved hand found a dip and she smirked.   
With a flap of her wings, Rouge was in the air, spinning violently as she burst through the weak spot.    
The screams that erupted as she landed on the other side, making her sensitive ears ache. She winced and pulled out the scanner. The sooner she found the emerald, the sooner all four of them could get out of there.   
She didn’t know how Shadow was exactly doing but she guessed it wasn’t great. She needed to get him in a more stable position, emotionally and physically.    
Her steps were quiet compared to the screeches of the damned, the tracker’s beeps barely audible.   
Rouge thought things couldn’t get worse.    
  


And then the tracker went crazy in front of the pen with the most messed up fusion she had ever seen. And, sure, every fusion she had ever seen was limited to this room but this thing was a  _ mess _ . 

She didn’t want to guess how many people it was. It seemed to be collapsing under its own weight, crumpled to the floor, its many tails wrapped around its shuddering form.   
Was this what Eggman hoped to do? He never stuck with a plot very long but this one seemed unfinished.   
Rouge’s heart was caught in her throat as she realized what the wheezing fusion was curled around.   
The Chaos Emerald.   
Rouge bit her lip. She  **had** to get that emerald. Maybe she could…..?   
With slow and careful movements, she slid in through the window, ears trained on the keening cries that were the mistake of science’s screams.   
Rouge winced slightly at the click of her heels against metal but continued on, hoping she wasn’t heard. She moved as slowly as she could. The creature seemed unaware of her presence.    
She reached for the emerald, fingers just grazing its glimmering surface-   
The creature was aware.    
It rose with the screech of a child awakened from a pleasant dream. Rouge gaped as she fluttered back, watching as the creature’s form went up and up, multiple eyes seeming to the bubble to the surface of its horribly bland face.   
“Whoa….” she whispered to herself in horror stricken awe.  _ This  _ was what the combined form of Eggman’s victims could become?    
Was this a reflection of how much harm a hurt group of people could return or how much damage Eggman could do?    
Rouge didn’t have more time for more philosophical questions because the blobby mass of aching souls was lurching towards her!   
“W-Wait!” She threw her hands up in a show of surrender. “I- I’m sorry I snuck up on you, I just……”   
The flesh mass leaned over and she gulped, her hands shaking.    
“My… My friends, they’ve been really hurt, by Eggman, and I think that emerald would really help them,” Rouge explained, unsure if it, they, could understand her. “Please, could I have it?”   
The creature leered over her, analyzing her, judging her. Rouge hadn’t felt this insecure since she moved out of her parents’.   
FInally the beast gave a gentle rumble and, with its many tails, nudged the emerald towards her. Rouge hesitated with bated breath before swiftly picking it up and holding it to her chest.    
“Thank you.” she said softly. The misshapen fusion chuffed before lying back down, its enormous head turned away from her.   
Rouge slipped out faster than she realized.   
  
  
Tails heard Rouge before he saw her, beeps and the clicking of heels alerting him to her approach.    
He looked up from his observation of the two comatose hedgehogs to meet her gaze.   
“Rouge!” the child genius rose to his feet. “Did you find it?”   
“Yeah, I did,” she held the emerald out to Tails and thankfully didn’t judge when he more or less snatched it out of her hands. “And got us a way out. After this, we gotta figure out how to help all those poor people though.”   
Tails nodded, half listening as he turned his attention to the two hedgehogs.    
Sonic and Shadow had somehow gotten closer, both of them wrapped around each other, shivering as if they were trapped together in a blizzard.   
He noticed Rouge looking at them as well and laughed weakly.   
“It’d be funny, them being so cuddly and all if it wasn’t for the fact that they are probably only like this because their bodies are trying to balance their unequal levels of Chaos energy.” Tails said, shaking his head.   
“Yeah…..” Rouge agreed quietly, crossing her arms. “What now?”   
“To be honest?” Tails placed the emerald in a squeeze between the two hedgehog’s arms. “I don’t know. We could take them back to my house. I have my data on Shadic there and if I combine that to what we’ve learned here, I’m sure I could figure something. Probably.”   
Rouge frowned and took a step closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.    
“Hey. They’re gonna be okay,” she said gently before trying a more teasing tone. “Big Blue and Edgelord are too tough to die, Shadic proved that.”    
“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right,” Tails nodded slowly, rubbing the bridge between his eyes. “Thanks, Rouge.”   
They looked back at the knocked out duo.    
“How are we going to move them though?”   
  
_ Shadow? _ _   
_ **_Sonic._ ** **_  
_ ** _ You look funny. _ _   
_ **_Well, you look…. I can’t really see you._ ** **_  
_ ** _ It’s too hot. _ _   
_ **_It’s actually kind of cold in here._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Nah, that’s just you. _ _   
_ **_Well, maybe-_ ** **_  
_ ** _ That…. That sounds like Tails. _ _   
_ **_He sounds upset._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Yeah, and worried. Is something wrong? _ _   
_ **_We’re talking to each other without speaking and Eggman probably did something to us, if I remember correctly. Of course something is wrong._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Oh. Well, I guess that makes sense.  _ _   
_ **_You should probably reassure him that you’re at least alive._ ** **_  
_ ** _ I would but….. _ _   
_ **_…...Let me guess; you can’t move either._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Nope! _ **_  
_ ** **_Hm. That’s a slight problem._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Hey, is that Rouge? She… doesn’t sound so good.  _ _   
_ **_…...You’re right, she sounds equally concerned._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Ugh, I’m getting pretty tired of lying around! There’s gotta be a way to get up, even with the whole every part of my body feels like it’s on fire thing! _ _   
_ **_Yes, I agree. I may not feel like I’m on fire but I’m having equal difficulties. We have to-_ ** **_  
_ ** _ Hey, did you feel that? _ _   
_ **_Hm…. yes. It kind of feels…. nice._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Heh, yeah, you can say that again. Think it’s a Chaos Emerald?  _ _   
_ **_Most likely.…..Great, now they’re both worried._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Ugh, I hate this so much! It wasn’t even this bad when we were first Shadic! _ _   
_ **_I agree. Maybe, if we work together, we can wake each other up._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Huh? How? _ _   
_ **_We seem capable of communication in this state. Perhaps we can startle each other back into awareness._ ** **_  
_ ** _ Well, I’ve heard worse ideas.  _ _   
_ **_W-Whatever! Ugh, let’s do this in 3, 2, 1-_ ** **_  
_ ** **_  
  
_ **

  
  


Rouge and Tails were interrupted from their planning by a bright flash of light and turned towards the two hedgehogs.   
Shadic had replaced them, curled around the Chaos Emerald and seemed to be actually sleeping, if the snores that immediately rippled from their chest were any sign.

Tails and Rouge blinked, looking at each other before shrugging.   
“Well, that’s one problem solved, I guess,” Rouge said. “I think I can carry them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment and/or kudos.

**Author's Note:**

> Why am I wasting my life like this.  
> Please leave a comment.


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